First Park Superintendent Frederick Olmstead was a champion of the natural look for Central Park. After Olmstead, however, showier arboreal specimens were added to the park. The Yoshino cherry was a gift of the Japanese government to America in 1912 and grows as an introduced species throughout the park.
The Yoshino cherry can grow as tall as 50 feet if given enough time. The tree is especially beautiful in mid-April with a display of spectacular "clouds" of white flowers. The tree is greatly revered in Japan and was first cultivated in Tokyo, where is one of their most popular trees.
